The General Court of the European Union has rejected Apple’s challenges against its “gatekeeper” status designated under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

With this ruling, the company’s designated status for the App Store and iOS remains valid, while its applications regarding iMessage were also rejected.

Apple had argued that the five separate App Stores it operates for the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, and Apple TV should be evaluated as distinct, individual services.

The court rejected this argument, ruling that these stores serve a common purpose of connecting developers and users, regardless of the specific device.

The court also dismissed Apple’s defense that the DMA’s interoperability obligations violate its fundamental rights.

However, it did not conduct a substantive assessment on the legality of this obligation, stating that a direct legal link could not be established between the regulation in question and the determination of “gatekeeper” status.

Following the ruling, Apple argued that the obligations under the DMA “exceed the boundaries of legality and proportionality.” The company asserted that the new rules jeopardize the work it has carried out for years to ensure user privacy and security.

Apple retains the right to appeal the decision, though a company spokesperson did not comment on whether there are plans to do so.

Apple previously declared that DMA rules prevented the launch of the updated version of Siri in Europe, resulting in European users being unable to benefit from the service.

In force in the European Union since 2024, the DMA covers a total of 22 services and products belonging to Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft.

The regulation obliges these companies to share certain data with competitors, provide access to user-generated data, and offer verification tools to advertising partners.

Additionally, it prohibits platforms from engaging in anti-competitive practices that favor their own products. Companies failing to comply with the rules face fines of up to 10% of their global turnover, which can rise to 20% in cases of repeated violations.

Andy Burnham has pledged to rebuild the United Kingdom’s “hard power” by ensuring that billions of pounds in additional defense spending are directed to domestic industries rather than being funneled to American or European companies.

In his first major foreign policy statement, the Labour candidate for prime minister said he wanted to be “honest” with the public about the funding required to meet the commitment of spending 3.5% of GDP on defense by 2035.

Writing in The Times, Burnham stated that he wants investments to be channeled into “reinvigorating and industrializing the country,” supporting British jobs and British workers, rather than relying on equipment purchased from other nations.

Burnham argued that the UK must reduce its foreign dependence, adding that this is “vital for both our economic and national security” and declaring that the issue would be a central priority during his premiership.

Furthermore, while committing to closer relations with European countries on defense and security—specifically France and Germany—he promised to accelerate broader negotiations with the EU on economic security and combating “illegal migration.”

Burnham indicated that his government would continue to support international law and international institutions such as the UN.

The former Mayor of Greater Manchester said that “the global picture is growing increasingly dark” and that this uncertainty is hitting ordinary households, “revealing fundamental vulnerabilities in our society and our economy.”

Burnham made the statement as outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with other NATO leaders, including Donald Trump, at a summit in Ankara.

Burnham said the UK must “go further than ever before” by implementing a defense investment plan that commits the government to raising defense spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035, up from the current level of 2.56%.

Burnham said:

“It is a correct step to rebuild our hard power for a new era that is very different from when much of our current military equipment was first designed. Most importantly, in doing so, I want to ensure we are supporting British workers and businesses. This means we must go much further than ever before to support British resilience through the defense investment plan; we must use the sustainable increase in defense investment not only to provide the equipment our armed forces need, but also to generate economic growth and create apprenticeship programs and jobs in communities where opportunities have diminished.”

Noting that they would focus on “reducing foreign dependence, securing inward investment, and establishing new industrial partnerships with our allies,” Burnham declared that reindustrialization through defense and other sectors is “vital” for both economic and national security, “enhancing resilience everywhere,” and would be a fundamental priority for him.

Burnham stated that he wanted to be “more open” with the public regarding how defense spending is allocated, saying:

“I want to see more detailed and publicly available progress reports containing greater transparency and accountability, so that we can tackle cost overruns or delays before they spin out of control. Our increased investments must be paired with increased scrutiny.”

Burnham also confirmed that Jonathan Powell would continue in his role as national security adviser, adding that he wanted to have “the best and most experienced advisers on national security.”

NATO is transitioning to a new technological infrastructure to monitor military movements along its eastern flank and reinforce its defense strategies.

According to a report by The Times, the alliance will deploy the Maven Smart System (MSS), an artificial-intelligence-enabled software platform developed by the US technology company Palantir.

The system will track potential movements of Russian troops in real time and transmit the collected data directly to NATO command centers.

Beyond merely monitoring activity along the border, the software will analyze vulnerabilities within the alliance’s existing defense plans and offer recommendations on how future military deployments should be structured.

In an official statement released last week, NATO announced that the system had reached full technical operational readiness. However, the press release did not mention Palantir by name.

Alliance sources indicate that discomfort over becoming highly dependent on software developed by a private company backed by the CIA influenced the decision to omit the company’s name.

Furthermore, divisions exist among major European NATO members regarding the utilization of the system. France and Germany have long resisted adopting the US company’s technology, citing concerns over strategic autonomy and data security.

Conversely, the UK, Sweden, and the Netherlands have already integrated Palantir systems into their respective national military infrastructures.

Louis Mosley, Palantir’s Executive Vice President for Europe, Middle East and Africa, emphasized the significance of the system for the alliance:

“If NATO were to go to war, it would fight that war using Palantir. This system provides a comprehensive intelligence map showing not only the threats facing NATO but also the positions of the alliance’s own assets and forces. If there is a need to launch strikes against targets, that entire process is managed through Palantir.”

In the joint declaration issued by participating countries during the recent NATO summit in Ankara, member states emphasized that Russia poses a long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic security and stability.

Member nations stated they would continue to fulfill the defense commitments they undertook at the previous year’s summit in The Hague to counter this threat.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also reiterated his call for member states not to be “naive” regarding the risks posed by Russia, urging them to increase their defense spending.